Vehicle Seat With Function of Absorbing Volatile Substances

ABSTRACT

A vehicle seat with a function of absorbing volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle with the seat is disclosed. The vehicle seat comprises a seat frame structure, a cushioned padding member supported on the seat frame structure, and a volatile substances-absorbing member provided on a surface of the cushioned padding member which faces the seat frame structure.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/525,194, filed on Sep. 21, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat which can exert a function of absorbing any volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Hitherto, there has been proposed a vehicle seat provided with a sheet of a nonwoven fabric to which a chemical reactive deodorant including a deodorant oxidation-decomposing is applied and which can therefore exert a function of deodorizing unpleasant odor components caused by such as the sweat smell of a passenger, the smell of tobacco smoke, or the like (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 10-327980). The nonwoven fabric sheet with the function of deodorizing is employed as a covering member for a seat cushion of the vehicle seat and provided so as to cover a lower portion of the seat cushion.

In the conventional vehicle seat, there is a possibility that the deodorant will be peeled off from the nonwoven fabric sheet, resulting in losing the deodorizing function. In addition, areas of the nonwoven fabric sheet from which the deodorant is peeled off are exposed as dirty areas, resulting in detracting from the appearance of the vehicle seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made with a view to overcoming the foregoing problems of the prior art vehicle seat.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat with a prolonged function of efficiently absorbing and eliminating any volatile substances caused by any smell or odors in an interior of a vehicle with the vehicle seat.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat which can easily provide a function of absorbing any volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle with the seat, without modifying structural members for the vehicle seat and changing the appearance of the vehicle seat.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vehicle seat with a function of absorbing volatile substances. The vehicle seat comprises a seat frame means, a cushioned padding means supported on the seat frame means, and a volatile substances-absorbing means capable of absorbing any volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle, the volatile substances-absorbing means being provided on a surface of the cushioned padding means which faces the seat frame means.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the volatile substances-absorbing means comprises a sheet of a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may comprise an activated carbon fabric.

In the vehicle seat constructed as discussed above, the volatile substances-absorbing means is provided on the surface cushioned padding means which faces the seat frame means, so that the volatile substances-absorbing means is subjected to the loading imposed by a passenger sitting on the vehicle seat, and is directly affected by air-exhaust and air-suction which are caused by repeated compression and restoration of the cushioned padding means when the vehicle employing the seat is traveled and subjected to vibration or the like. Therefore, the volatile substances-absorbing means can efficiently absorb and eliminate any volatile substances in the interior of the vehicle.

Moreover, the volatile substances-absorbing means can prevent the cushioned padding means from being directly contacted with the seat frame means. Therefore, there is no possibility that noise will be produced by rubbing the cushioned padding means against the seat frame means. In addition, the volatile substances-absorbing means is applied onto the surface of the cushioned padding means and housed within the interior of the vehicle seat, so that the volatile substances-absorbing means can easily provide the function of absorbing the volatile substances, to the vehicle seat, without modifying structural members of the vehicle seat and changing the appearance of the vehicle seat.

The seat frame means may comprise a seat frame for a seat back of the vehicle seat and/or a seat frame for a seat cushion of the vehicle seat. The cushioned padding means may comprise a cushioned padding for the seat back and/or a cushioned padding for the seat cushion. The volatile substances-absorbing means is provided on a surface of the cushioned padding of the seat back which faces the seat frame of the seat back, and/or a surface of the cushioned padding of the seat cushion which faces the seat frame of the seat cushion.

When the volatile substances⁻absorbing means is applied to both the cushioned padding of the seat back and the cushioned padding of the seat cushion, volatile substances⁻absorbing area is increased, so that it is possible to more effectively absorb and eliminate the volatile substances in the interior of the vehicle.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a seat back for a vehicle seat according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic rear elevation of a cushioned padding for the seat back of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a seat back according to a modification of the seat back shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now FIG. 1, there is illustrated a seat back of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. The seat back includes a volatile substances-absorbing means 1 capable of absorbing any volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle with the seat, a cushioned padding 2, a seat back frame 3, and cushion springs 4 (only one cushion spring 4 is shown in FIG. 1). The cushion springs 4 are stretched between a pair of spaced apart side sections 3 a of the seat back frame 3. The volatile substances-absorbing means 1 comprises a sheet of a nonwoven fabric. The cushioned padding 2 is made from a resin-foamed, molded product and comprises a first section 2 a which corresponds to a section of the seat back of the vehicle seat on which a passenger rests when the passenger sits on the vehicle seat, and second ridge sections 2 b respectively formed at the left and right side portions of the first section 2 a of the cushioned padding 2. The cushioned padding 2 is supported on the seat back frame 3 and the cushion springs 4 with the first section 2 a being carried on the cushion springs 4, with the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 being sandwiched between the first section 2 a of the cushioned padding 2 and the cushion springs 4, and with the second ridge sections 2 b enclosing the side sections 3 a of the seat back frame 3.

Referring to FIG. 2, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 is applied onto a substantially entire area of a back surface of the first section of the cushioned padding 2 which faces the seat back frame 3, and fixed at peripheral regions of the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 to the cushioned padding 2 by shooting H-shaped resinous clips 5.

The cushioned padding 2 which is supported to the seat back frame 3 and the cushion springs 4 is covered with a bag-shaped covering member 6 (see FIG. 1) or a bag-shaped covering member 6′ (see FIG. 3) having an opening 6 a′ in a back side thereof, and a back board 6 b′ covering the opening 6 a′, whereby an assembly comprising the cushioned padding 2 supported to the seat back frame 3 and the cushion springs 4, and the covering member 6 (6′) is assembled. Thus, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 is housed within an interior of the seat back.

As the nonwoven fabric, there may be employ any suitable nonwoven fabric as far as it is capable of absorbing volatile substances caused by the sweat smell of the passenger, the smell of tobacco smoke, the smell of a pet animal, any volatile substances produced from any equipment in the vehicle, and the like. As the nonwoven fabric, there may be employed, for example, an activated carbon fabric. When a sheet of a nonwoven fabric to which a volatile substances-absorbing agent or a deodorant is applied in order that the nonwoven fabric sheet can exert a function of absorbing volatile substances is employed, there is a possibility that the volatile substances-absorbing agent and the deodorant will be peeled off from the nonwoven fabric sheet, resulting in losing the function of the absorbing or deodorizing. In addition, areas of the nonwoven fabric sheet from which the agent or the deodorant is peeled off are left as dirty areas. When the activated carbon fabric sheet is employed as the volatile substances-absorbing means 1, such problems do not arise. Therefore, the activated carbon fabric sheet is preferably employed as the volatile substances-absorbing means 1. A thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet is preferably about 0.2-5 mm, and better yet about 0.4-0.6 mm.

In the seat back constructed as discussed above, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 is subjected to the loading imposed by the passenger sitting on the vehicle seat according to the present invention, and is directly affected by air-exhaust and air-suction which are caused by repeated compression and restoration of the cushioned padding 2 when the vehicle employing the seat according to the present invention is traveled and subjected to vibration or the like. Therefore, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 can efficiently absorb and eliminate the volatile substances in the interior of the vehicle.

Moreover, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 can prevent the cushioned padding 2 from being directly contacted with the seat back frame 3 and the cushion springs 4. Therefore, there is no possibility that noise will be produced by rubbing the cushioned padding 2 against the seat back frame 3 and the cushion springs 4. In addition, the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 is applied onto the back surface of the cushioned padding 2 and housed within the interior of the seat back, so that the nonwoven fabric sheet 1 can easily provide the function of absorbing the volatile substances, to the vehicle seat, without modifying structural members of the vehicle seat and changing the appearance of the vehicle seat.

While the embodiment of the present invention has been described in connection with the case where the present invention is applied to the seat back of the vehicle seat, the present invention may be applied to a seat cushion of the vehicle seat. In this case, the volatile substances-absorbing means 1 is applied to a bottom surface of a cushioned padding for the seat cushion, which faces a seat cushion frame, and fixed onto the bottom surface of the cushioned padding for the seat cushion. Moreover, the volatile substances-absorbing means 1 may be applied to both the cushioned padding of the seat back and the cushioned padding of the seat cushion. In this case, volatile substances-absorbing area is increased, so that it is possible to more effectively absorb and eliminate the volatile substances in the interior of the vehicle.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It should therefore be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. 

1.-6. (canceled)
 7. A vehicle seat with a function of absorbing volatile substances, the vehicle seat comprising: a seat frame having a pair of spaced apart side sections; cushion springs stretched between said spaced apart side sections of said seat frame; a cushioned padding means supported on said seat frame; and a volatile substances-absorbing means capable of absorbing any volatile substances in an interior of a vehicle; said volatile substances-absorbing means being applied and fixed only onto a first surface of said cushioned padding means which faces said cushion springs and is opposite to a second surface of said cushioned padding means to which an occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported; and said volatile substances-absorbing means being arranged so as to be spaced apart from said seat frame and sandwiched between said cushioned padding means and said cushion springs.
 8. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein said volatile substances-absorbing means comprises a sheet of a nonwoven fabric.
 9. A vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises an activated carbon fabric.
 10. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein said seat frame is adapted to be used for a seat back of said vehicle seat and/or a seat cushion of said vehicle seat, said cushioned padding means comprises a cushioned padding for the seat back and/or a cushioned padding for the seat cushion, and said volatile substances-absorbing means is arranged only on a rear surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back which faces said seat frame of said seat back and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported, and/or a bottom surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion which faces said seat frame of said seat cushion and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported.
 11. A vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein said seat frame is adapted to be used for a seat back of said vehicle seat and/or a seat cushion of said vehicle seat, said cushioned padding means comprises a cushioned padding for the seat back and/or a cushioned padding for the seat cushion, and said volatile substances-absorbing means is arranged only on a rear surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back which faces said seat frame of said seat back and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported, and/or a bottom surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion which faces said seat frame of said seat cushion and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported.
 12. A vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein said seat frame is adapted to be used for a seat back of said vehicle seat and/or a seat cushion of said vehicle seat, said cushioned padding means comprises a cushioned padding for the seat back and/or a cushioned padding for the seat cushion, and said volatile substances-absorbing means is arranged only on a rear surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back which faces said seat frame of said seat back and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat back to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported, and/or a bottom surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion which faces said seat frame of said seat cushion and is opposite to a surface of said cushioned padding of said seat cushion to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported.
 13. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein said cushioned padding means comprises a first section corresponding to a section of a seat back and/or a seat cushion of said vehicle seat to which the occupant sitting on said vehicle seat is supported, and second ridge sections formed at left and right side portions of said first section, said volatile substances-absorbing means being sandwiched between said first section of said padding means and said cushion springs, and said second ridge sections of said padding means enclosing said side sections of said seat frame.
 14. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein said volatile substances-absorbing means is formed into a sheet-shape, arranged on a substantially entire area of said first surface of said cushioned padding means, and fixed at peripheral regions of the sheet-shaped volatile-substances-absorbing means to said cushioned padding means.
 15. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, further including a covering member covering said cushioned padding means which is supported to said seat frame and said cushion springs, whereby said volatile substances-absorbing means is covered with said covering member.
 16. A vehicle seat according to claim 15, wherein said covering member is formed into a bag-shape.
 17. A vehicle seat according to claim 15, wherein said covering member is formed into a bag-shape and has an opening in a back side thereof, said opening of said bag-shaped covering member being covered with a back board. 